This invention relates to a cartridge type magnetic tape recorder.
When a magnetic tape cartridge is loaded in a tape recorder for the purpose of recording or reproducing sound, it has been the practice to move the cassette type tape cartridge to the reproducing position by moving the cartridge in the direction of its thickness for causing it to engage against a recording or reproducing head mounted on a head plate located at the reproducing position, pinch rollers or such driving members as reel shafts and a cartridge positioning pin which are also disposed at the reproducing position. Where such tape recorder is mounted on a motor car with its front side exposed and where two reel type cassette tape cartridge is used it is possible to use the recorder by inserting the reel shafts of the recorder into a reel opening. Further, as the reproduction is made at a stationary position, most of the component parts disposed at the reproducing position can be secured to the machine frame. Accordingly, the driving system such as an electric motor for these component parts can be secured to a stationary member. In such an application it is desirable that the tape recorder should be as small as possible. Furthermore, it is advantageous to decrease as far as possible the substantial loading stroke of the tape cartridge where resistance is occurred against loading and to enable prompt and ready loading and unloading. However, the requirements described above contradict with each other. For example, in order to decrease the front surface of the tape recorder it is necessary to make small the cartridge and to use cassette type tape cartridges which are now being used widely throughout the world. In such a case, the cartridge is loaded in the tape recorder from its reproducing end but the cassette cartridge is rectangular with its reproducing end on the longer side of the rectangle. When the cassette cartridge is loaded and unloaded under these conditions, as the cartridge is loaded in the direction of the longer side of the rectangle, it is inevitable to increase the loading stroke. To decrease the substantial loading stroke, it is necessary to transfer the cartridge precisely from the loading position to the reproducing position in such short loading stroke. Usually, the cassette is loaded and then moved to the reproducing position by pushing it and as it is necessary to store energy in a spring provided for ejecting the cassette after reproduction or recording it is necessary to apply a considerable force to the cassette for loading it. With the prior art cartridge type magnetic tape recorder it has been difficult to solve these contradicting problems.
In a cassette cartridge a narrow magnetic tape running between two reels is generally used so that the cassette is rectangular and the reproducing end of the tape is located along the longer side of the rectangle. For this reason, the cartridge is loaded in the tape recorder with its longer side perpendicular to the front surface of the recorder, thereby decreasing the area of the front surface.
In the prior art tape recorder, after detecting the fact that the cartridge has been loaded to the reproducing position, a head plate carrying the reproducing or recording head and pinch rollers is shifted to the operating position. The conventional detector utilizes a small spring mechanism mounted on the deck of the recorder so that mechanism is liable to be damaged by vibration or shock when the tape recorder is mounted on a motor car. Moreover, as it is necessary to move the head plate in the horizontal direction by utilizing the vertical motion of the detector, the shift operation of the head plate is not accurate. Since the levels of the cartridge receiving position and reproducing position are different it is necessary to lower the cartridge receiving frame to the reproducing position. To this end the receiving frame is connected to an operating frame through spring means and by utilizing the deflection of the spring means the receiving frame is lowered while maintaining its horizontal attitude. For this reason, the receiving frame is not accurately held in the correct horizontal receiving position thus making it difficult to smoothly insert the cartridge. This difficulty is remarkable when the tape recorder is mounted on a motor car where shock and vibration and severe.
Furthermore the prior art tape recorder provided with a fast feeding and play back mechanism is constructed such that the used cartridge is ejected upon completion of the rapid feeding or play back operation. Accordingly, it is necessary to reload the ejected cartridge when it is necessary to use it again.
In the prior art cartridge type tape recorder, the used cartridge is ejected by using a strong spring so that the ejected cartridge is completely projected or escape from the tape recorder and falls onto the floor. Accordingly, the operator is required to operate the ejecting lever by one hand and to receive the ejected cartridge by the other hand.
Automatic reversing of the direction of running of the tape has been accomplished by operating a relay or electromagnet by a signal generated by an electroconductive film applied to one end of the tape. With this construction, however, it is impossible to confirm the previous direction of running.